Let-off mechanism



LET-OFF MEGHANISM Filed DeO. 14, 1936 ln lL l Il.

BY a all l?" e v g AT`TORNEY.

Patented ct. 19, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,096,593 LET-OFFMECHANISM ration of Maine Applicationpeemleria., 1936, serial No.,115,743

5 Claims.

'Ihe present invention pertains to let-:off mechanisms for looms, andhas more particular reference to the supporting means for supporting thewarp beam in proper relation to the let-off shaft of such mechanisms.

In mechanisms of the type to which my invention pertains, a warp beam isrotatably mounted in warp beam bearings and a let-off shaft is supportedby a loom side and geared to the warp beam for controlling the rate ofrotation of the latter. Looms are commonly constructed with identicalloom sides and let-off shafts but with warp beams of various differentdiameters. It is also common practice for mills having looms with warpbeams of a given diameter to change the looms to accommodate warp beamsof a different diameter. The construction of most looms is such that awarp beam of a relatively large diameter is positioned fartherrearwardly in the loom than is a warp beam of a smaller diameter.

Prior to the present invention, such looms, as commonly constructed,included warp beam bearings xed to the loom sides and adapted to supporta warp beam in only one predetermined pcsition. This prior constructionrequires that the manufacturer provide a number of different designs ofwarp beam bearings, and also that a mill purchase new bearings wheneverlarger or smaller warp beams are to be installed. It has been proposedto obviate these disadvantages by constructing the warp beam bearingswith a plurality of j ournal-receiving pockets for supporting a warpbeam in any of a plurality of positions.v

Another prior proposal was to formthe warp'` beam bearing on the upperendof a bracket which was adjustable up and down and forwardly andrearwardly on a stand projecting rearwardly from the loom side. Theseprior proposed con-1 structions were too expensive, and were otherwiseimpractical, and they have not been used com mercially.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide, in a loomhaving a warp beam and let-o shaft geared to the warp beam as aforesaid,a loom side having an arcuate portion the center of which coincides withthe axis of the letoff shaft, and a warp beam bearing supported on thearcuate portion and adjustable along the same, whereby the warp beambearing may be adjusted about the axis of the let-off to proper positionto accommodate any of the usual sizes of warp beam.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention are accomplished in theconstructionl illustrated o-n the accompanying drawing, of which:

Fig. lis a view in side elevation of a portion of a loom having thepreferred embodiment of my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a rear view of a portion of the warp beam bearing and loomside shown on Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same.

The loom shown on the drawing includes loom sides, such as loom side I,which may be of any conventional construction except that they areprovided with an arcuate portion as hereinafter described in detail. Aconventional warp beam 2 has journals 3 by which it is rotatablysupported at the rear of the loom. The warp sheet W unwinds from thewarp beam and passes over a whip roll d and thence to the conventionalWeaving instrumentalities, not shown. The rate of advance of the warpsheet is controlled by suitable let-off controlling means such as thatindicated generally at 5. The let-off mechanism includes a let-off shaft6 which is geared to the warp beam yand revolves under control of thelet-off controlling means 5.

'Ihe let-off shaft 6 is supported for rotation in a bearing 'I which isfixed to the loom side I in any suitable manner, not. shown. Theposition of the let-.off shaft in the loom being fixed, it is desirablethat the various' warp beam positions be located along an arc of acircle the center of which is at the axis of the let-off shaft. Withsuch a construction, warp beams of a relativelylarge diameter will bepositioned downwardly as well as rearwardly from the position of arelatively smaller diameter Warp beam, the respective gears 8. on thewarp beam being alike in each instance and remaining in` properoperative relation to the let-off shaft.

In accordance with the present invention, the loom side I is providedwith an arcuate portion 9 the center of which coincides with the axis ofthe let-off shaft 6, anda warp beam bearing I0 is supported by thisarcuate portion and adjustable therealong to adjust the position of thewarp beam about the axis of the let-off shaft. It will be understoodthat a similar arcuate support and warp beam bearing are provided at theother side of the loom.

In the particular embodiment shown on the drawing, the arcuate portion 9is in the form of a flange formed integrally with the loom side and ofsubstantially the same width as the strengthening web II commonlyprovided on loom sides. 'I'his flange preferably extends from apoint'directly above the let-off shaft 6 rearwardly and downwardly inarcuate form. The external surface of the flange 9 is provided with aseries of pockets I2 which are spaced apart along the circumference ofthe flange. These pockets, as

shown, may be in the form of grooves or depressions extending across theflange transverse to the plane of the loom side. The inner side face I3of the loom side is preferably flat.

The outer face'of warp beam bearing I0 contacts the inner face I3 of theloom side, but the bearing projects above and to the rear of the arcuatefla-nge 9. This outer face of the bearing IB is provided with integrallugs I4 and I5 which project into two of the pockets I2. The spacing ofthe pockets I2 and lugs I4 and I5'is such that the bearing IB may bemoved along the angeg and the lugs selectively positioned in any of theseveral different pockets. These lugs are shaped to t snugly into thepockets whereby the warp beam bearing is irmly supported in any ofseveral positions.

The main body of the warp beam bearing is provided with a single bearingsurface I6 for receiving the journal 3 of the warp beam. The journal 3may be held in the bearing by a beam lock I1 which is pivoted to thebearing at I8 and releasably locked to an upright standard on thebearing by suitable locking means I9. This beam lock is not of thepresent invention, it being disclosed and claimed in patent to C. D.Brown, No. 1,765,322, granted June 17, 1930 and to which patentreference may be had for a more complete disclosure,

The warp beam bearing I0 is adapted to be clamped to the loom side inany of the several positions to which it may be adjusted. To this end,the loom side may be provided with a series of holes 20, 2D to receivebolts 2|, 2| which pass through the loom side and warp beam bearing.

It will be seen that I have thus provided a construction wherein asingle warp beam bearing may be supported on a loom side in any of aplurality of positions, to thereby accommodate any of the customarysizes of warpl beam. Furthermore, this desirable result is accomplishedin a simple and inexpensive construction, which construction may beadapted to utilize any good, substantial form of beam lock. Theinvention is not, however, limited to the particular embodiment shownand described.

Having fully disclosed the preferred embodiment of my invention, Iclaim:

l. In a loom, a warp beam, a let-off shaft geared to said warp beam, aloom side supporting said let-off shaft, said loom side having anintegral arcuate ange theV center of whichcoincides with the axis ofsaid let-off shaft,'a warp beam bearing including a bearing surface inwhich said warp beam is journalled'and a beam lock releasably locked tothe main body of the bearing, said bearing engaging and supported bysaid flange, said bearing and warp beam being adjustable along saidflange about the axis of said let-off shaft, and means for securing saidbearing to said loom side in any of a plurality of positions along saidflange.

2. In a loom, a warp beam, a let-off shaft geared to said warp beam, aloom side supporting said let-off shaft, said loom side having anintegral arcuate portion the center ofgwhich coincides with the axis ofsaid let-off shaft, a warp beam bearing in which said warp beam isjournalled, said bearing comprising a main body engaging and supportedon said arcuate portion and adjustable therealong to adjust the warpbeam about vthe axis of said let-off shaft and a beam lock releasablylocked to said main body, and

'means for clamping said bearing to said loom side in any of a pluralityof adjusted positions.

3. In a loom, a warp beam, a let-off shaft geared to said warp beam, aloom side supporting said let-off shaft, said loom side having anintegral arcuate flange the center of which coincides with the axis ofsaid let-off shaft, said flange having a series of pockets spaced alongthe circumference thereof, a warp beam bearing in which said warp beamis journalled, said bearing having integral supporting lugs adapted tobe selectively positioned in any of different pockets of said series foradjusting the position of the bearing and warp beam about the axis ofsaid let-off shaft, and vmeans for clamping said bearing to said loomside with said lugs supported in any of said .different pockets.

4. InY a loom, the combination of a loom side having a let-off shaftbearing and an arcuate portion the center of which coincides with theaxis of said bearing, a Warp beam bearing having lugs projecting fromone side face thereof and resting on said arcuate portion with said'sideface in contact with one side face of said loom side, said yarn beambearing being adjustable to any of a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced positions on said arcuate portion, and means for clamping saidyarn beam bearing to said side face of said loom side in any of saidpositions.

5. In a loom, the combination of a loom side having a let-off shaftbearing and an integral arcuate flange the center of which coincideswith the axis of said bearing, said flange having a series ofcircumferentially spaced pockets formed therein, a warp beam bearinghaving a plurality of lugs projecting from one side face thereof andadapted to be sup-ported in any of a plurality of different pockets insaid series, whereby said warp beam bearing is adjustable about the axisof sai-d let-off shaft bearing and is supported by said flange in any ofa plurality of adjusted positions, said side face of said Warp beambearing being in Contact with the loom side, and means for clamping saidwarp beam bearing to the loom side with the bearing in any of saidadjusted positions.

LEONARD M. ROGERS;

